P.M. on Church leaders
It seems Prime Minister Tuilaepa can’t leave members of clergy alone.
During a radio programme last week, he had plenty to say about Church Ministers. For instance, he reminded them that Church Ministers were only taught on spiritual matters, not on Economics.

Think global act local
Hats off to the Prime Minister for joining his Pacific colleagues in alerting world leaders to the effects of climate change in the Pacific. But it is time for Samoa to think globally and act locally so can the Government advise if there will be subsidies for businesses and individuals who want to use alternative electricity sources to light up their homes?

Domestic violence hole
Now you’d think this will happen naturally given all the noise about domestic violence in Samoa lately.
A friend of BTL took a victim of domestic violence who was badly bruised and beaten to the hospital.

Daughter of Cabinet Minister
Sources tell BTL that the daughter of a senior Cabinet Minister was involved in an incident where six-year-old girl was killed on Sunday morning.
The little girl was returning home from Sunday school when she was hit and killed.

Who sponsored trip?
The Miss Samoa pageant earlier this month ensured all eyes were on the big island of Savai’i. So much so that the checking-in of two ministers, a C.E.O. and an A.C.E.O. into a hotel there raised eyebrows. Their ministry has no connection to the pageant’s administration so just wondering who funded their trip over?

An S.O.S. visit to Facebook?
The public surely appreciates the transparency shown by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupai and the Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, when they posted pictures of themselves recently outside the headquarters of Facebook in Silicon Valley in America.

Don’t be a tosser, keep Samoa clean
Sometimes when driving around our beautiful island admiring the lush green vegetation and gardens, - you get the shock of your life when you see young people and sometimes older people casually chuck their food packaging or whatever waste they have in their hands aside onto the path or in someone's garden and continue walking.

The tussle between the Police and the Land Transport Authority (L.T.A.) over the enforcement of traffic infringements and the collection of fines is an interesting one.
Purely from an outside perspective, it appears to be a show of who has the biggest muscles and how far one can flex them.

Attempts by two unidentified men, who tried to attack Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday night has shocked the nation and triggered condemnation from various fronts. Our reporter Yolanda Lavata’i speaks to the public to get their views on the issue.

I want to share a reflection on suicide by quoting from a speech I made in 2002 because it is relevant and topical. Rituals also express meaning, nuance and metaphor. During (former) Prime Minister’s Helen Clark’s wreathe presentation at Tamasese’s grave, 4 June 2002, Lufi Falefa and Salani could have chanted the funeral chants, the birth chants, the war chants, the victory chants.

The spears flew towards the youth on the hill, whistling as they cut through the air. Grinning, Queen Medb’s general drew his sword, eager to take back to his Queen the head of this warrior whom they called the Hound of Ulster. He had no doubt his spears would find their mark.